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Council to hear motion to reverse ban on electronic music events at Exhibition Place

Charles Khabouth, CEO of Ink Entertainment, which ran several events out of Exhibition Place, says he believes the ban on electronic music events will be scrapped. (Bernard Weil / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

Councillors who opposed an Exhibition Place board decision to effectively ban electronic music events will ask council to reverse it next week, claiming it was made hastily and in bad faith.

A motion from Councillor Mike Layton asks council to “require” the board of governors to reverse the policy made in April — something he says council has power to do under municipal laws. The motion will be brought to council on May 7.

The current policy in place prevents Exhibition Place from striking any deals to host electronic dance music concerts in the future. One event has already been cancelled, said Layton, who sits on the board and opposed the new policy at the April meeting.

The policy was hastily adopted after Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, a Mayor Rob Ford supporter, and Muzik nightclub owner Zlatko Starkovski pushed the issue of safety. City council originally approved the large event space for electronic music concerts in 2000 after a review by Toronto Public Health.

Ford — who a Star investigation revealed was recently witnessed doing cocaine, vomiting in toilets and getting in an altercation with Justin Bieber at Muzik — is a frequent patron of the nightclub.

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In April, Starkovski raised concerns to the board of governors about the type of people who attend these types of events.

“I think drug dealers, pedophiles and people of that nature flock to these places thinking they can sell drugs to kids,” the Toronto Sun reported Starkovsi said. “We have the opportunity to save children’s lives.”

“I think people realize it was made in haste,” Layton said. “I think that motivation was entirely a financial one … It was clear that that was the motivation from the get-go and it wasn’t this altruistic (thing) that we’re protecting children somehow. That was only brought up after the fact.”

Layton said at all-ages events hosted at Exhibition Place, underage patrons are separated by double-gated barricades from those drinking alcohol.

If passed, the motion would also require Exhibition Place to review safety protocols and make any changes necessary.

“We made this decision for a reason. Nothing has changed. There’s no reason to think it’s wrong now,” Layton said. “So it should still stand. That’s good public policy. That’s good risk management.”

Ford and Starkovski appear to be close, at least on the party scene. After the mayor reportedly went to the club in April, the mayor told reporters the owner — whom he referred to as “Z” — called him up and asked if he wanted to swing by.

Starkovski released a statement Thursday denying he and Ford are “close,” saying media reports suggesting as much are “false” and claiming all regulations are being followed at the club.

“In each case Mayor Ford paid his own way and any interactions with me were of a purely social nature,” the statement read, saying Ford has only attended three times since January. “I have never seen Mayor Ford use illicit drugs in my club and I and my staff do not tolerate illegal activity of any kind on our premises.”

Muzik has also provided alcohol services to the mayor’s annual summer Ford Fest.

Layton said there are less than 10 electronic music events per year which draw over $100,000 in revenue a piece.

Charles Khabouth, CEO of Ink Entertainment which ran several events out of Exhibition Place, says he believes the policy will be overturned.

“It was really mind-boggling and shocking that they would decide to ban it from the CNE grounds,” he said. “Obviously this ended up being very political … You can see in the newspaper what’s happening and who’s partying where.”

Layton pointed to a clause of the City of Toronto Act for the authority council has to direct the board to follow “rules, procedures and policies” established by the city.

A city spokesperson could not provide an answer by end of day on whether council does indeed have those powers.

“I’m increasingly confident that we’ll get approval at council,” said Councillor Gord Perks, who also sits on the board and opposed the new policy.

Councillor Mark Grimes, who chairs the Exhibition Place board, and Starkovski did not respond to a request for comment.

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